Israel w



I. W. COX.

(No Model.)

TONGS.

Patented Oct. 31

NITED STATES PATENT Fries.

ISRAEL WQCOX, OF GOLD HILL, OREGON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES N. LAMBERT, OF SAME PLACE.

TONGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 507,973, dated October 31, 1893. Application filed June 22, 1893. Serial No. 478,526. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ISRAEL W. COX, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Gold Hill, in the county of Jackson and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tongs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of the invention is to provide an implement consisting of two members which are pivotally connected to each other to provide jaws and handles with means for connecting the handles to each other to hold an object between the j aws. And the invention consists in pivotally attaching to one of the handles of the implement a plate having ratchet-teeth which are adapted to engage with a pawl formed on the opposite handle; and the invention further consists in the peculiar construction of said plate whereby it may be readily operated by the hand which holds theimplement, and in the construction and combination of the parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

For the purpose of illustrating myinvention I have shown the same applied to a pair of blacksmiths tongs, though it is obvious that the invention may be applied to any implement having members which are pivotally connected to each other to provide jaws and handles.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the application of my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional View of the catch plate. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective View of the end of the handle which carries the catch plate.

A designates a pair of tongs or pliers formed of two members pivoted to each other to provide the grasping jaws b b and handles a a, thejawsbeing preferably formed integral with the handles. The lower end of one of the handles is provided with a transverse recess which isconcaved a little more than a semi-circle, and on one side of the recess the end of the handle is cut away to provide a flat portion d against which the spring it bears. The end of the other handle is shaped to provide a rigid pawl e above which the handle has an extension e which will prevent the operators finger being caught between the pawl and catch-plate.

D designates the catch-plate, which is made up of a single piece of metal having a lug f formed thereon which is adapted to enter the transverse recess in the handle to pivotally connect the plate thereto. The catch-plate is bent at an angle and .is provided witha flat bearing surface against which the operators hand bears when the handles of the implement are grasped as shown in Fig. 1; and this catchplate is provided with a series of ratchet-teeth, g, which are adapted to engage with the end of the other handle, and said plate is also provided with a fiat spring, h, which is secured to the part D thereof and bears against the flat portion d at the end of the handle. This spring serves two functions: it holds the catchplate against displacement as the end of the spring bears against the projections d and it also serves to throw the catch-plate away from the pawl when said pawl is released by bringing the handles toward each other.

In operation the operator should grasp the handles as shown in Fig. 1, so that the part of the hand below the thumb will bear upon the portion D of the catch-plate, and when the jaws are forced upon the object by pressing upon the portion D of the catch-plate the ratchet-teeth thereon will be caused to engage with the end of the other handle. By simply releasing the pressure upon the portion D of the catch-plate and pressing the handles toward each other the spring will force the plate away from the pawl or lower end of the other handle and thus permit the jaws to be opened.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with an implement consisting of jaws pivotally connected to each other and provided with handles, the end portion of one of the handles carrying an angular plate having ratchet teeth with which the end of the opposite handle engages the angle plate having a downwardly and outwardly extending portion on the opposite side of the pivot from the part having ratchet-teeth substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth. I

2. In combination with an implement consisting of jaws pivotally connected to each other and provided with handles, the end portion of one of the handles having pivotally at tached thereto an angular plate the upper face of the same having a central series of ratchet teeth, the opposite side of the angular plate beyond its pivot providing a portion for moving the ratchet teeth in engagement with the end of the opposite handle, substantially as shown.

3. The combination with an implement consisting of jaws pivotally connected to each other and provided with handles, a ratchetplate D pivoted to the end of one of the handles of the implement and provided with a depending portion, and spring the end of the other handle being shaped so as to provide a pawl which engages with the ratchet-plate, substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

4. In an implement having grasping jaws and handles, which are pivotally connected to each other the end of one of said handles having a recess, at right angles with the pivot of the jaws, of an angular ratchet plate having an integral lug which is located 1n the recess, the end of the other handle having a pawl e and a projecting portion 6' which extends beyond the pawl, substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination with an implement consistingof jaws andhandlespivotallyconnected to each other the end of one of the handles having a transverse recess, a flattened portion 01 and lugs (1 of a ratchet-plate having a projecting portion or lug which fits 1n the recess in the handle, the portion D of the ratchetplate carrying a spring the free end of which engages with the Hat portion d of the handle so as to lie between the lugs 01 the other handle of the implement carrying a pawl with which the teeth of the ratchet-plate engage, substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereofI affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ISRAEL W. COX.

Witnesses.

J ESSE DODGE, DAN RICHARDS. 

